Polecat Flats

Jon takes Garfield on vacation to the Polecat Flats dude ranch, where Jon learns how to live like a ranch hand. While Garfield tries to figure out what “polecat” means (a question he will ask throughout the course of the episode), Jon tries to meet country women, but is thwarted when the ranch foreman (Cactus Jake) has him do odd jobs that turn out to be humiliating.

At one point, Garfield learns about a black horse that is fenced in because he is so ornery. Later, Jon is instructed to whitewash the corral, but when he is too tired to do so, Garfield takes Jon’s horse over to the corral and secures him next to Cactus Jake’s horse (which is black with white spots). He is then crossed by a female animal that, unbeknownst to him, is a skunk, and she leaves her scent on him.

Garfield then teaches Cactus Jake a lesson by using the whitewash to paint spots on the ornery horse; then he secures him where Cactus Jake’s horse originally was. When Cactus Jake tries to ride him in front of everyone, he gets thrown off. Garfield then uses a hose to wash the spots off, and Cactus Jake commends Jon for putting one over on him.

The horse then comes after Garfield and is just about to attack him when he smells his stench; then he runs away. Cactus Jake then tells Jon that he smells polecat; then he reveals that polecat is another word for skunk. Jon then takes Garfield home, but because of the stench, he has Garfield ride in a trailer attached to the car instead of the car itself.

[edit] Notes

Cactus Jake makes his first appearance in this episode.
Odie appears at the title card, but not in the episode (unless the “stars” above Jon’s head after he trips count).
The rooster that wakes the people up at Polecat Flats looks like Roy.
Jon has spurs on his bunny slippers.

[edit] Goofs

The horse that Jon rides is brown, not black like Cactus Jake's horse. However, with only whitewash, Garfield is able to make Jon's horse look like Cactus Jake's horse and can trick Cactus Jake with it. (Must have been a can of black paint laying around somewhere.)
When Garfield is walking, the sound of spurs are heard, but he isn't wearing any spurs or even cowboy boots.